Thirteen firefighters have been injured in Bordezac — the village where the fire started. In total, 18 firefighters have been injured amid several forest fires that have been burning for days in the region, according to France Info. Adverse weather conditions – drought, heat and strong winds – are complicating efforts to contain the blaze in the Gard region, but its fire service said the outlook was “more favourable” on Friday. Other smaller fires have been extinguished. The agency said 880 hectares (2,100 acres) have burned so far in two different locations. More than 900 firefighters and two aircraft battled the flames in the area. Near the fire in Bordezac, villages were evacuated and roads were closed. Laurent Joseph, a top official in the neighboring Bouches-du-Rhone region, told BFM TV that authorities expected to deal with the fire “for several days”. The fire is threatening the Cévennes, a mountain region partially protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site that runs through a large part of southeastern France. The regional administration, or prefecture, on Friday banned people from entering several forests in the region until Monday “to reduce the risk of new fires” while firefighters work to extinguish those still burning. France’s national weather service put several neighboring areas on red alert Friday for fire risks, and the French Environment Ministry warned citizens in the region to pay special attention to fire risks. Fires also hit other European countries this summer, from Greece to Portugal. Scientists say climate change is bringing more drought and warmer temperatures that make it easier for fires to start and spread.
